Feb. 2-8, 2012 Your Neighborhood - Your News® FREE THE NEWSPAPER OF HOLLIS, ST. ALBANS, CAMBRIA HEIGHTS, SPRINGFIELD GARDENS, ROSEDALE & RICHMOND HILL Queens College holds Eco-friendly Black History events designer bags Page 6 QGuide Page 17 Avella proposes Smith might not have Rockaway bill to split up Task force draws 105th Precinct ALL SMILES lines that breaks BY RICH BOCKMANN up the peninsula Civic leaders from northern BY HOWARD KOPLOWITZ and eastern Queens, who have maintained for years that their Three state senators from police forces have been stretched southern Queens would see the too thin, gathered last week to lines of their districts drastically show their support for a state altered if the plan drawn up by a legislative effort to split both the state task force takes effect. 105th and 109th precincts in half. Under “People in the 109th and the plan, See full 105th feel that because of the Sens. Joseph population and the size of their Addabbo coverage precincts, they’re not getting the (D-Howard PAGES 4, 5 police coverage they deserve,” Beach) and said state Sen. Tony Avella (D- Shirley Hunt- Bayside), who stood in his Bay- ley (D-Jamaica) would share the side office with state Assembly- Rockaways. man Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside) The entire peninsula is cur- and representatives from about a rently represented by Sen. Mal- dozen civics to announce he had colm Smith (D-St. Albans), whose introduced legislation to split the lines were changed to include precincts. parts of southeast Queens now The 109th Precinct covers Children from Our Lady of Lourdes in Queens Village perform a song during Mass as part of the Catholic School served by Huntley. downtown Flushing, East Flush- Week celebration. Several students dressed in clothing from the countries of their ancestors. See more photos on Gov. Andrew Cuomo vows to Continued on Page 15 Page 27. Photo by Christina Santucci veto the plan. A CNG Publication • Vol. 18, No. 5 40 total pages FREE LAMINATES CARPET – 3 Rooms Any Room SHOP $ $699 AT FREE PADDING! FREE INSTALLATION! 1-800-RUGS-R-US 399(up to 288 sq ft) HOME 1-800 -784-7787 www.1800RugsRUs.net (up to 108 sq ft) 2 JT Jamaica fi re guts jewel store ‘Most Wanted’ man COM . 100 fi refi ghters take on two-alarm blaze, which injures 1 Bravest convicted of killing BY KAREN FRANTZ been robbed earlier in TIMESLEDGER the day and mistakenly A Queens man and believed that Tate and Be- former fugitive who was lizaire were somehow in- featured twice on the tele- volved, according to testi- vision program “America’s mony. The spokesman said . 2-8, 2012 . 2-8, 2012 EB Most Wanted” was convict- he did not know why Wil- , F ed of second-degree mur- liams and Artis were under der and second-degree at- that impression. EDGER L tempted murder in Queens A Queens County IMES Supreme Court last week, grand jury indicted Wil- T the Queens district attor- liams and Artis on the ney said. charges July 22, 2004. Danny Williams, 34, of The NYPD eventually Jamaica, had been on the found Williams after dis- lam for eight years follow- covering his fingerprints ing the shooting of two men at the crime scene of a in May 2002, DA Richard child sodomy case, accord- Brown said. ing to the “America’s Most According to testi- Wanted” website. NYPD mony at his two-week trial, received information that Williams, along with co- Williams was visiting a defendant Reginald Artis, friend in Jackson, N.J. The 30, shot Roshawn Tate, 22, NYPD Fugitive Task Force Dozens of firefighters respond to the scene of the blaze on Jamaica Avenue. Photo by Ellis Kaplan and Mark Belizaire, 21, at and police in Jackson ar- a house on 148th Street in rested him July 19. More than 100 fire- blaze, which authorities Jamaica. Tate died at the He is also person of in- fighters responded to a two- say started on the second scene as a result of being terest in the sodomy case, alarm blaze in Jamaica in floor of a 50-by-100-foot shot in the back multiple according to the “America’s an apartment above an Af- frame building on Jamaica times as he tried to flee and Most Wanted” website. rican jewelry shop Friday Avenue near 188th Street. Belizaire suffered severe Artis pleaded guilty afternoon, according to fire Firefighters initially nerve damage that has left to second-degree criminal officials. got the call about the fire him permanently disabled. possession of a weapon and One firefighter was at about noon, and by 12:35 Both men were also from was sentenced to nine years taken to North Shore-LIJ p.m. the fire was declared Queens. in state prison in 2008. Health System to be treated under control. Williams was also for minor injuries, a spokes- Officials said the cause convicted on charges of man for the FDNY said. No of the blaze has not yet been first-degree assault in the civilians were hurt in the released. Jan. 25 verdict. Queens Su- preme Court Justice Grego- ry Lasak set his sentencing for Feb. 29. He faces up to 50 years to life in prison. “We normally request the maximum in these cases,” said DA spokesman District Attorney Richard Kevin Ryan. Brown (pictured) says that He said the men were Danny Williams of Jamaica was convicted of second-degree Two firefighters (above) battle the fire from the air, and firefight- from the same neighbor- murder and second-degree at- ers (photo l.) look into the African jewelry store on the ground hood and knew each other. Williams and Artis had tempted murder. floor. Photos by Ellis Kaplan IN THIS ISSUE HOW TO REACH US Police Blotter ........................................................8 Focus on Queens ................................................23 MAIL: 41-02 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361 PHONE: Display Advertising: (718) 260-4537 — Editorial: (718) 260-4545 Editorials & Letters .......................................10-11 Focus on Health .................................................24 FAX: General: (718) 225-7117 — Editorial (718) 224-2934 Dishing with Dee .................................................12 People in the News............................................26 Display: (718) 260-4537 — Classified: (718) 260-2549 Political Action ....................................................12 Sports ............................................................ 29-32 E-MAIL: Editorial: [email protected] On Point .................................................................13 Classified .......................................................33-39 Display Advertising: [email protected] Classified: [email protected] QGuide .............................................................17-22 TO SUBSCRIBE: Call (718) 260-4590 Copyright©2011 Queens Publishing Corp. JAMAICA TIMES LAURELTON TIMES QUEENS VILLAGE TIMES (USPS#025142) is published weekly by News Community Newspaper Holdings Inc., 41-02 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY.11361, (718) 229-0300. The entire contents of this publication are copyright 2011. All rights reserved. The newspaper will not be liable for errors appearing in any advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Jamaica Times Laurelton Times Queens Village Times C/O News Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. 41-02 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, N.Y. 11361. 3 Mormon church opens new digs for Jamaica congregation J T T After 15 years above a food court, neighborhood parishioners now have a place to call home IMES L EDGER BY REBECCA HENELY Philipp Urbanowski, one of self-reliant and disaster , F two bishops in the Jamaica preparedness, Hack said. EB The Jamaica Ward of Ward, said the Mormon The center will hold con- . 2-8, 2012 the Church of Jesus Christ Church has about 28,000 certs and dinners. of Latter-day Saints wel- wards altogether. “There’s always some- comed members of the com- The Jamaica Ward thing going on here every munity to its new location has been active for about day,” Rasmussen said. TIMESLEDGER on 163rd Street for an open 15 years. It previously oper- Mormons follow the house Saturday and Sun- ated on 160th Street above a teachings of the Old and day. The six-story building food court before moving to New Testaments, but also . COM will offer religious servic- its current location at 89-58 the Book of Mormon, a es, classes and other activi- 163rd St. in Jamaica. book said to be revealed ties. “We are growing, so to Joseph Smith Jr., who “A nybody’s welcome that’s why we need more began the religion, via at our services,” said Sis- space,” Urbanowski said. golden plates given to him ter Doris Rasmussen, who Urbanowski said the by an angel. Famous Mor- came from the church’s Jamaica Ward has about mons include Republican headquarters in Salt Lake 120 members who attend Bishop Philip Ubanowski (c.) greets member Debra Harper (l.) as Bishop Humberto Martinez looks on. presidential candidate Mitt City, Utah, to assist in the the ward’s English lan- Urbanowski leads the English-speaking congregation and Martinez leads the Spanish-speaking con- Romney and “Twilight” au- opening. “We hope we can guage services and 120 gregation. Photo by Christina Santucci thor Stephenie Meyer. be a good asset to the com- members who attend Span- Ramussen said the munity.” ish services, held by Bishop the building has a sixth serving room, a basketball 14 months of work before it teachings of Jesus Christ Local congregations of Humberto Martinez. The floor for potential future half court and a fount for was opened Saturday. remain important to Lat- the Church of Jesus Christ ward is working on pro- expansion. In addition to full-body submersion bap- “There was a marvel- ter-day Saints. of Latter-day Saints, also viding services in Haitian the sacrament meeting tism, according to Mormon ous effort,” he said. “There are people who known as the Mormon Creole, which many of its room, the Mormon equiva- tradition.